There’s little question that social media – and particularly Facebook – is here to stay. Recognizing the need to connect funeral homes with the families they serve in new ways, Tributes.com has launched an app for that.

During times of loss and grieving, Tributes.com provides lasting personal tributes, as well as active online community support. Users can take advantage of Tributes’ centralized national Web meeting destination, making it easily accessible to people to come together online to share the treasured stories of the important people in their lives who have passed away.

A number of companies are trying to take what has long been the local newspaper's franchise — death notices — and move them to TV, both on air and online. They all depend on partnering with funeral homes that sell the product and input information that is delivered directly to station websites.

Tributes’ Advisor J. Mark Busch, funeral director and owner of Busch Funerals and Crematory Services, speaks about the standardization of online obituaries and the benefit for both the families, and the funeral home.

Stations owned by the likes of Raycom, Local TV, LIN and Belo are partnering with Tributes.com on a co-branded Memorial Day initiative that will see viewers light a virtual candle or place a virtual flag in memory of a lost loved one.

In an effort to boost their somewhat deathly TV revenue coffers over the last year, broadcast stations' Web sites have been selling ads from special obituary areas. One company, Tributes.com, offers turn-key Web site platform areas for some 50 TV and radio stations.

David Kessler, Loss and Grieving Specialist for Tributes.com discusses how to deal with the difficult question of what to say and what not to say to Widows and Widowers who have recently lost a spouse.

Robin Heppell of FuneralFuturist.com talks with Ken Varner of CypressLawn.com about the operations at Cypress Lawn and also chat about the Michael Jackson service. This interview is part of the Tributes.com Interview Series.

Robin Heppell of FuneralFuturist.com chats with David Kessler of Grief.com and John Heald of Tributes.com about how people are grieving online. This interview is part of the Tributes.com Interview Series.